Parnham Speaks to God Ahead of CB Cox Stakes 2011

They may be a $21 outsider in the markets for Saturday’s 2011 CB Cox Stakes at Ascot, but Neville Parnham is hoping to pull off another remarkable training achievement and win the feature with God Has Spoken, boosting their Perth Cup bid for New Year’s Eve.

Only a fortnight ago Parnham prepared Playing God to perfection, the galloper enjoying a return to form to score their second win in the Kingston Town Classic.

Now it is stablemate God Has Spoken who has Parnham’s full attention, the Blackfriars five-year-old one of 14 gallopers engaged for the $225,000 Group 2 C.B. Cox Stakes (2100m) at Ascot this Saturday.

In a field full of major players including last-start Kingston Town Classic runner-up Ranger, Grant Williams’ stable ace nearing odds-on territory in the CB Cox Stakes odds currently at a quote of $2 through Luxbet, God Has Spoken is one of the roughies paying $21.

Hoping to bring them on after their last-start 13th when beaten four lengths by Veracious in the Listed JRA Trophy (2200m) at Ascot on December 3, Parnham has been giving God Has Spoken plenty of beach work which he credited for Paying God’s favourable form reversal.

“I’ve changed his training routine a bit and he’s been frequenting the beach,” Parnham said.

“Playing God was freshened at the beach but I’ve kept the work up to God Has Spoken as he’s running longer distances.

“It’s a good way of getting work into him without putting pressure on his legs, not that he’s an unsound horse. “

He has also removed blinkers from God Has Spoken’s gear, taken away the bubble cheeker and winkers and added a lugging bit, all to help the horse settle better over the increased distance with an eye on the $400,000 Group 2 Perth Cup(2400m) on December 31.

“I’d like him to show us a bit more on Saturday and give us confidence going forward (to the Perth Cup),” Parnham said.

It is a tough field of CB Cox Stakes rivals God Has Spoken will face this weekend.

Other early top elects in the Luxbet markets following Ranger include:

Redoute’s Choice mare Tranquility ($7 Luxbet) who is also co-favourite with stablemate Ranger at $5.50 in the Perth Cup odds

The Mark Reed-trained Kincaple ($7 Luxbet), winner of the Kalgoorlie Cup (2300m) back in September

Two others from the Grant Williams’ contingent with Lords Ransom ($9.50 Luxbet) and Battle Emblem ($10)

The 2011 Landscapes Development Total C.B. Cox Stakes is set to run as Ascot Race 7 on Saturday, jumping at 4:20pm (WA time).

See below for the latest odds on the race.

To lock in these prices and check out markets for all the other features running this weekend, visit our preferred online bookmaker Luxbet and enjoy a $400 bonus bet on the house as a first-time depositing player that enters the code BONUSBET.